My Humax Forum » Freesat HD » FOXSAT HDR

Foxsat Freesat Record/View Conflict ?

(13 posts)
  1. greyjaybee

    greyjaybee

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    Any suggestions most welcome please...my Humax Foxsat HDR Plus, now in it's tenth year, has over the past month or so been misbehaving. When a pre-set prog recording starts up, any other channel being viewed breaks up and states 'no or poor signal'. It's doesn't seem to be channel or time or weather specific and occurs every time it starts recording.
    I've disconnected at back of box and at the wall...made sure everything is clean and properly connected, gone through set up again and re-installed everything and switched cables. Everything checkable has been looked at.....Nothing works.
    My connection is shared with my neighbour and landlord, (he set it up 4 years ago and it's worked perfectly ever since), who tells me his is fine, so I know it must be between the dish and my own set up, or of course the box itself....I'm tempted to give up and buy a new box but apart from liking this particular Humax recorder a lot, I might find the problem is elsewhere and end up wasting my money so, trying to narrow down what the probable cause might be. Does this sound familiar to anyone please...or does anything I've mentioned suggest what it might be...I'm at a loss. Thankyou so much in advance.

    | Thu 18 Mar 2021 14:04:32 #1 |
  2. grahamlthompson

    grahamlthompson

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    Never heard of a Foxsat-HDR Plus

    Assuming it's a Foxsat-HDR

    Can you try this and post what happens.

    press 972 to change to

    972 BBC ONE HD (England)

    What does the signal diagnostics say signal strength and quality is ?

    Press the red instant record button (under menu) to start recording this channel.

    Press 949 to change to

    949 BBC Two HD

    Check signal diagnostics and post signal strength and quality.

    Press the instant record button a second time.

    Display the recordings list. Confirm you have two recordings in progress.

    Exit from the menu. Use the page up/down buttons to cycle through the other available channels. Make a list of the channel numbers you can view while recording two and post details.

    You may have an issue with the coax cabling back to the lnb. Often this can be a symptom of water in the coax cabling or corroded connections at the lnb.

    | Thu 18 Mar 2021 14:19:45 #2 |
  3. greyjaybee

    greyjaybee

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    Thanks very much for your response...oops re title, I looked at the front of the box and typed plus instead of +.
    I carried out your suggestion and a very very strange thing has occurred....
    The signal strength and quality was 100% and both channels recorded and showed as such in the recordings list.
    On scrolling through the channels whilst both were recording I discover now that only channels ITV+ and ITVbe+ are still breaking up and state 'no or poor signal'. That's vastly different to before.
    I didn't run through the channels in their entirety
    Just wondering if, we had a huge amount of rain here over the past couple of months and for the past week it's been much drier...could it be that had the issue been caused by wet getting in, it has somewhat dried out now, allowing it to mostly revert to normal . ??
    I can live with it as it seems to now be I think.....

    | Thu 18 Mar 2021 14:49:04 #3 |
  4. grahamlthompson

    grahamlthompson

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    greyjaybee - 10 mins ago  » 
    Thanks very much for your response...oops re title, I looked at the front of the box and typed plus instead of +.
    I carried out your suggestion and a very very strange thing has occurred....
    The signal strength and quality was 100% and both channels recorded and showed as such in the recordings list.
    On scrolling through the channels whilst both were recording I discover now that only channels ITV+ and ITVbe+ are still breaking up and state 'no or poor signal'. That's vastly different to before.
    I didn't run through the channels in their entirety
    Just wondering if, we had a huge amount of rain here over the past couple of months and for the past week it's been much drier...could it be that had the issue been caused by wet getting in, it has somewhat dried out now, allowing it to mostly revert to normal . ??
    I can live with it as it seems to now be I think.....

    There's not much wrong with your box. Can you tune to the two channels that were breaking up. press opt+ and report both transponder details. Also check and post the signal info strength and quality.

    Notched out frequencies is a good indication of water in the cabling. Depending on the type of coax it can track down the inside of the cabling into the box.

    I would replace both the cables as soon as you can.

    | Thu 18 Mar 2021 15:04:13 #4 |
  5. greyjaybee

    greyjaybee

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    Thankyou....I was about to do as you suggest but after switching on again just now, I'd say at least half of available channels are now 'no or poor signal' and breaking up badly, without there being a recording happening...so even worse than before. Odd.
    I did though go back to 112 (ITV+1) and 119 (ITVBe+1)
    I'm not sure exactly what'transponder details' are but
    Ch112 states
    10758 MHz,V 22000,5/6
    Signal strength about 70%, quality 100%
    Ch119 states
    10891 MHz,H,22000,5/6
    Signal strength about 70%, quality 100%

    Do you think it still most likely that the cabling will need replacing. ?

    | Thu 18 Mar 2021 17:14:48 #5 |
  6. grahamlthompson

    grahamlthompson

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    greyjaybee - 1 min ago  » 
    Thankyou....I was about to do as you suggest but after switching on again just now, I'd say at least half of available channels are now 'no or poor signal' and breaking up badly, without there being a recording happening...so even worse than before. Odd.
    I did though go back to 112 (ITV+1) and 119 (ITVBe+1)
    I'm not sure exactly what'transponder details' are but
    Ch112 states
    10758 MHz,V 22000,5/6
    Signal strength about 70%, quality 100%
    Ch119 states
    10891 MHz,H,22000,5/6
    Signal strength about 70%, quality 100%
    Do you think it still most likely that the cabling will need replacing. ?

    If you are sure the other two outputs of the LNB used by your landlord are fine.

    That eliminates the dish alignment and lnb. Very unlikely the Foxsat-HDR is faulty, they are very reliable.

    Astra has new fleet of satellites at 28.2E. All the UK channels are now on UK spot beam transponders. A transponder is a single frequency carrier with lots of radio and TV channels digitally multiplexed onto it.

    So the most likely issue is the cabling and your connections to the lnb.

    If the dish is accessible it's a simple diy job to fit new f connectors to satellite grade cable. Best cable is Webro WF100 grade.

    Because the UK spot beams focus all the energy into a beam pattern covering the UK the signal is very strong. The strength and quality should easily be 100% for both strength and quality.

    https://satfi.co.uk/coverage/

    If you want to know how a lnb works see here

    http://www.satcure.co.uk/tech/lnb.htm

    | Thu 18 Mar 2021 17:27:37 #6 |
  7. greyjaybee

    greyjaybee

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    I dont know if it matters but what I should have reported previously was...

    On Ch 112
    Tuner 1 was actually 70% signal strength, 100% quality
    Tuner 2 was 90% signal strength, 100% quality

    Unable to assess Ch 119 atm.

    Oh yes my landlord tells me they have no issues atall...

    Sorry

    | Thu 18 Mar 2021 17:31:36 #7 |
  8. greyjaybee

    greyjaybee

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    Obviously, thankyou so much for helping and so comprehensively...much appreciated. J

    | Thu 18 Mar 2021 17:36:41 #8 |
  9. grahamlthompson

    grahamlthompson

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    greyjaybee - 13 mins ago  » 
    I dont know if it matters but what I should have reported previously was...
    On Ch 112
    Tuner 1 was actually 70% signal strength, 100% quality
    Tuner 2 was 90% signal strength, 100% quality
    Unable to assess Ch 119 atm.
    Oh yes my landlord tells me they have no issues atall...
    Sorry

    With everything as it should be you should get 100% quality on all channels. But the few channels on Europe Wide beam transponders will have a lower signal strength could be around 65% depending on dish size.

    Can you get at the lnb easily to check the connections ?

    | Thu 18 Mar 2021 17:47:19 #9 |
  10. greyjaybee

    greyjaybee

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    He's just been round and has seen for himself what's occurring and is going to investigate up a ladder tomorrow so we might now be well on the way to sorting things.
    Cheers....

    | Thu 18 Mar 2021 18:03:51 #10 |

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